NBC & G4 To Share 'American Ninja Warrior'

With the broadcast networks struggling to successfully launch a reality series in the past couple of summers, NBC is reaching to its new corporate sibling G4 for original summer fare. NBC will share with G4 the upcoming fourth season of G4’s popular obstacle course competition series American Ninja Warrior. Last summer, NBC aired ANW‘s two-hour third season finale, which posted decent ratings. This year, NBC will be taking on a bigger role, with G4 carrying the preliminary rounds and the broadcast network airing the preliminary finals, as well as the grand finale. For the first time, each leg of the competition will be held entirely on U.S. soil after the original Japanese broadcaster, Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, helped bring the course and all different designs to the U.S. The finalists, vying for a $500,000 cash prize in the national finals in Las Vegas, will be selected at six regional qualifying competitions throughout the country. ANW, whose Season 3 debut ranked as G4’s most-watched original season premiere ever, is produced by A. Smith & Co.